AIA Reacts to Joint Chiefs’ Call for End to Sequestration

Statement by Marion C. Blakey, President and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association on reports that the Joint Chiefs of Staff wrote to Congressional leaders urging immediate action.

Arlington, Va. – In a rare letter, the Joint Chiefs of Staff have weighed in on the urgent need to de-trigger sequestration by issuing a stark warning to Congress laying out the impacts of this misguided and unworkable policy. We agree – the stakes are too high for our elected leaders to play political games with our armed forces.

The Defense Department will be forced to cut training, furlough civilian personnel and raid investment accounts. Sequestration will render our defense strategy unexecutable and leave us with a hollow force incapable of resetting capabilities or responding to emerging national security dangers. It will also cause massive disruption in the business world as program contracts are renegotiated, triggering layoffs and sending unit costs through the roof.

Worst of all, it endangers the ability of future generations to address the security issues of the future. We join the Chiefs in urging Congress to take immediate action on a legislative solution that President Obama can sign which preserves a military force that is second to none.

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